Elimination of surgical drains following robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy

To prospectively evaluate outcomes of robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) following elimination of surgical drains. 100 consecutive drainless RAPN performed by a single surgeon were analyzed following a previously published quantitative assessment of drain creatinine/serum creatinine ratios. This cohort was compared to 100 preceding RAPN with drains. Variables analyzed included pre-operative patient/tumor characteristics and post-operative outcomes including post-operative estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), length of hospital stay (LOS), and complications. There was no significant difference in median patient age, sex, body mass index, ASA score, or pre-operative eGFR between the two groups. The preceding 100 patients with drains did have larger median renal size (3.5 vs 2.6 cm, p < 0.001), higher median RENAL scores (9 vs 8, p < 0.001), and longer warm ischemia time (21 vs 18 min, p = 0.004). Patients without drains had shorter median LOS (2.0 days vs 3.0 days, p < 0.001), fewer Grade III or higher post-operative complications (4% vs 10%, p = 0.007), and no difference in 1 month percent change in eGFR (− 13% vs − 11%, p = 0.84). After adjusting for confounding variables there was no difference in LOS (OR 1.50, p = 0.31), Grade III–V complications (OR 1.49, p = 0.63), or 1 month percent change in eGFR (OR 2.3, p = 0.41) between the two groups. One patient in the drainless group required a post-operative drain for a urine leak diagnosed 10 days following RAPN. Omission of drains is safe in RAPN and does not appear to offer a clinical advantage.